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Recruiting season is in full swing, and employers have been conducting on-campus interviews daily!
Did you know that the Career Services Office asks employers to complete an Interview Assessment Form? Employers can give ratings of ‘Needs Work’, ‘Good’, or ‘Outstanding’ in the following areas:
Company Specific Feedback: Knowledge of Company; Interest in your position; Asked good questions
Verbal Communication: Ability to express self clearly and concisely; Ability to illustrate competencies using specific examples (teamwork, leadership, technical, sales, etc.); Clarity of career interests and goals; Proper grammar / avoids slang; Filler words (ummm…like…you know…etc.)
Non-Verbal Communication: Body language / non-verbal communication; Maturity / professionalism; Eye contact; Appropriate attire; Firm handshake
If an employer completes a form after your on-campus interview, you can come to the Career Services Office during drop-in hours to see your feedback. How helpful, right?
While Bentley students are generally well-prepared for interviews and the feedback is positive, employers have recently indicated that there are some key areas for improvement:
Knowledge of Company: You MUST do your research! Demonstrating knowledge of an organization is one of the easiest ways for you to set yourself apart from the other students who are interviewing for the same position. So what do you need to know about a potential employer? Here a few things to consider:
- What is the size and structure of the organization and where are they located (headquarters and additional locations/branches)?
- What are the potential new or already existing products and services?
- What is the company’s status (public, private, non-profit) and financial health?
- What are the current industry trends and issues?
- How does this firm distinguish itself from its major competitors?
- Has the firm been mentioned in any recent publications (i.e., newspapers, magazines, press releases, etc.)?
- What is the management philosophy and style?
Interest in your position: It is CRITICAL that you understand the role you are interviewing for and how your skills match up with the job description. A potential employer also wants to see that the position you are interviewing for fits in with your long-term career goals. For example, if you express that you are ultimately looking to go into investment banking, but you are interviewing for corporate finance roles, the interviewer is going to think that you are not a good fit for the position and are a turnover risk.
Need help learning more about a company or a particular role? Use the ‘Connections –> Find Alumni’ feature on LinkedIn to identify Bentley alums to reach out to for insight and advice.
